Make Room for Fashion: No More Boring Hair Days!

We change our clothes with the seasons. We update our looks by trying the newest silhouettes, colors and fabrics, but, if you’re anything like me, you might neglect the one built-in accessory that we don’t have to buy… your hair. For me, I’m pretty conservative when it comes to my hair. It’s either down and straight, or up in a ponytail.

So when I had the chance to catch up with Julie Flakstad, founder of Blow, a blow dry bar in Manhattan’s Meat Packing District, I couldn’t help but ask for some quick and easy styling tips.

The mom of two says her first secret weapon is Blowpro’s Faux Dry/Dry Shampoo. I have to admit, when she told me this I kind of cringed. I mean, if your hair’s greasy you should just wash it, right? But Flakstad assured me that it’s a volumizing powder first and foremost. “I wash and blow dry my hair and then immediately sprinkle in some Faux Dry because it adds volume and prevents my hair from getting flat or limp later.” (This is going on my shopping list pronto. I tend to wash my hair daily simply because it loses its volume, so this could be a game changer).

The translucent powder is a fine-milled blend of micronized corn silk and proactive proteins that you apply directly to the root of the hair. The trick, she says, is to apply it at least eight inches from the root, then run your fingers through to distribute easily. She also uses it to create texture and staying power when she wants to put her hair up in messy bun.

To get the messy bun look, Flakstad says to start with a quick dusting of Faux Dry, then curl hair with a one inch barrel curling iron, spraying with hairspray as you go (or skip this step if you curled or styled the day before). Create a base for your pins by teasing the area where you want your bun to sit, essentially creating a ‘pin cushion’ for the bobby pins. Then lightly sweep your hair to one side using your fingers, not a brush, and secure to the teased base using bobby pins.

Or if you’re a ponytail girl through-and-through, Flakstad suggests a slightly more polished and grown up pony. Start by lightly teasing crown for lift and volume, then spray with hairspray and brush hair back through your hand towards back at ear level. When positioning your pony-tail, tilt your head back in order to avoid any sagging underneath as you gather hair into a ponytail. Wrap your ponytail in a hair bungee. (You can make one using a ponytail holder and two bobby pins). Finally wrap a lock of hair around the bungee to conceal it and secure with a bobby pin.

Now I have no more excuses! Stay tuned for next week’s post, featuring more beauty tips for women on the go.